1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a recording apparatus for recording an image on a sheet.
2. Related Background Art
A compound machine having an image scanner (hereinafter referred to as the scanner), a facsimile apparatus or the like as image reading means added to a recording apparatus (hereinafter referred to as the printer) for recording characters and image information outputted from an information processing apparatus such as a computer on a sheet which is a recording medium such as paper or a plastic sheet, and given the copying function, etc. is called multi-function peripheral (hereinafter referred to as the MFP). In the MFP, a region in which the printer effects recording on the sheet is called a printer portion, and a region in which the scanner effects image scanning is called a scanner portion.
In the MFP, as compared with using apparatuses such as the printer and the scanner which are separate, there are advantages of lower labor since the apparatuses are combined and that the MFP is also excellent in an operation wherein the respective functions are connected together.
Recording means of various recording types such as the ink jet type, the wire dot type, the thermal type and the laser beam type are applicable as the printer used in the MFP. Also, the auto sheet feeder type or the feeding sheet cassette type is used as setting means for sheets on which recording is effected by the printer.
As the types of the scanner used in the MFP, there are the sheet feed type, the flat bed type, the cartridge type attached to the recording head portion of a printer of the ink jet type, etc.
In an apparatus using the scanner of the cartridge type attached to the recording head portion, there is the problem that recording and reading cannot be effected at the same time because a recording head is used, and the scanner of the sheet feed type is problematic because it can handle only cut sheet (single sheet) shaped originals and is unsuitable for book originals or the like.
Also, the scanner of the flat bed type is free from the problems as noted above, but requires a wide installation area, and when the auto sheet feeder type is combined with the setting means for sheets used in the printer, it is necessary to effect the setting of the sheets across the scanner from the rear portion of the apparatus and therefore, operability may become bad in some cases.
The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-noted problems peculiar to the prior art, and the object thereof to provide a recording apparatus which is simple in construction, good in operability, low in cost, high in reliability and compact.
The present invention provides a recording apparatus provided with recording means for effecting recording on a sheet, characterized by:
sheet containing means provided detachably attachably to the main body of the apparatus;
sheet supporting means disposed in the sheet containing means, for supporting the sheet;
first guide means provided in the main body of said apparatus, for lifting a tip end portion in an attachment direction of said sheet supporting means from said sheet containing means in operative association with an operation of attaching said sheet containing means to the main body of said apparatus;
second guide means provided in said sheet containing means, for lifting a rear end portion of said sheet supporting means by the operation of attaching said sheet containing means; and
sheet feeding means for feeding the sheet from the sheet supporting means lifted by the lift means toward the recording means.